Alysa Liu’s Olympic Gold Medals: A Mishap at the 2026 Winter Games
American figure skating star Alysa Liu made headlines at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina, Italy, where she won two gold medals. However, following a celebratory mishap, Liu was required to return one of her gold medals due to damage.
During the closing ceremony on February 22, 2026, Liu celebrated her victories in both the team and individual events. She became the first American woman to win an individual Olympic figure skating gold medal in 24 years, finishing ahead of Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto by just 2.43 points. Despite her success, a moment of excitement led to the unfortunate incident where her first gold medal detached from its ribbon and became scratched and dented.
“I was just jumping up and down, as one does to celebrate, and it just dropped,” Liu explained. Although she expressed a preference for the damaged medal, Olympic rules mandated its return. Liu stated, “I had to give it in. I was like: ‘Can’t you just fix this one? I’m attached.'” This incident highlights the importance of medal quality control, as similar issues have been reported among other athletes at the Games.
As Liu returns to the United States, she will do so without one of her original gold medals. The incident raises questions about the durability of Olympic medals and the protocols surrounding their handling. Moving forward, it remains to be seen how the Olympic Committee will address these concerns to prevent similar occurrences in future events.
